Device for selective access closure inside a catheter

1. Obstruction device for selective access closure inside a catheter comprising, on the one hand, a body bounding a conduit having a rear extremity for the insertion of a medical instrument and a front extremity provided with means for connection to the catheter and, on the other hand, a mechanism for adjusting the cross-section of the passage offered within the conduit, this adjustment mechanism comprising a member for repositioning the device which can move with respect to the body along an opening path to change to an open condition in which the nominal passage cross-section is provided within the conduit and along a closing path to change to a closed condition in which passage through the conduit is at least partly obstructed, wherein:

said mechanism for adjusting the passage cross-section offered within the conduit comprises a diaphragm and a cannula movably mounted within the conduit between a position away from the diaphragm corresponding to the closed position of the device and a position in which it is engaged through the diaphragm corresponding to the open condition of the device,

the mechanism for adjusting the passage cross-section provided within the conduit comprises both a slide with which the cannula forms one piece, this slide being capable of being slid in relation to the body under the control of the repositioning member, and a ratchet wheel rotatably mounted with respect to the slide and fixed axially with respect to this slide, and

the body comprises section members engaging the ratchet wheel in order to move it angularly when the slide slides, and section members guiding the ratchet wheel to guide it when the repositioning member is released towards at least two different axial positions corresponding to the open and closed conditions of the device,

so that the cannula moves in one direction and the other alternately between its two positions under the control of the repositioning member only when the repositioning member is moved along the opening and closing paths in a control direction which is the same for the two directions in which the cannula moves, and so that both the direction of movement of the repositioning member following the closing path and the direction of movement of the repositioning member following the opening path are identical.

2. Device according to claim 1 , characterised in that the direction (Z-Z) in which the repositioning member ( 32 ) moves along the said opening and closing paths is angularly offset with respect to the axis (X-X) of the conduit ( 14 ).

3. Device according to claim 1 , characterised in that the conduit ( 14 ) is straight, and in that the said repositioning member ( 32 ) can be moved laterally along the said opening and closing paths parallel to the axis (X-X) of the said conduit ( 14 ).

4. Device according to claim 1 , characterised in that the said repositioning mechanism ( 27 ) comprises a resilient return member ( 74 ) for the repositioning member ( 32 ) following the said opening and closing paths in the opposite direction to that bringing about repositioning of the device.

5. Device according to claim 1 , characterised in that the body ( 12 ) is of a generally flattened oval shape having two opposite principal surfaces ( 50 A, 50 B) and a peripheral lateral surface connecting the said opposite principal surfaces ( 50 A, 50 B).

6. Device according to claim 5 , characterised in that on its peripheral lateral surface the body has at least two adjacent hollows ( 52 A, 52 B) forming supporting surfaces for the fingers of one hand.

7. Device according to claim 6 , characterised in that two hollows ( 52 A, 52 B) forming the supporting surfaces for the fingers of the hand are arranged in succession in a direction substantially parallel to the axis (X-X) of the conduit ( 14 ).

8. Device according to claim 6 , characterised in that the said control member ( 32 ) projects beyond the casing ( 12 ) between two hollows ( 52 A, 52 B) forming the supporting surfaces for the fingers of the hand and the rear extremity ( 16 ) of the conduit ( 14 ).

9. Device according to claim 1 , further comprising means ( 74 , 136 ) for holding the device in its open condition and in its closed condition.